Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.

Abstract: The discharge case length rate of a collector conveyor is controlled to provide a more consistent case length rate to the infeed of a downstream conveyor, such as a singulator conveyor, to control or maintain a desired case length rate at the exit of the collector conveyor without stopping the infeed conveyors. The discharge case feet rate accounts for the requirements of downstream devices, such as accounting for trailing gap requirements of a sortation conveyor disposed downstream of a singulator conveyor feed by a conveyor system constructed in accordance with this aspect of the present invention.

Abstract: Zones of an accumulation conveyor are controlled using a look ahead approach. The speed and article presence conditions of downstream and upstream zones are used to assess the condition of article flow in the neighborhood of a particular zone. The respective speeds of individual zones are then selected and implemented based on the assessment.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor readable media of the various embodiments enable control of a conveyor having a plurality of zones each having a control module configured to control a selectable speed of the zone. The various embodiments are disclosed in connection with, but not necessarily limited to, accumulation conveyors with control systems which selectively set the speeds of zones based on conditions of upstream and downstream zones. The various embodiments are directed to improving efficiency of accumulation systems by controlling zones based upon consideration of conditions of neighboring zones. The various embodiment also enable the generation and use of translation tables correlating zones with network addresses of their respective control modules.

Abstract: Methods, devices, non-transitory storage media, and systems that utilize operations including configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a slug-building merge mode, monitoring to identify a first predefined condition, configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a zippering merge mode in response to identifying the first predefined condition, monitoring to identify a second predefined condition, and configuring a first set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in the slug-building merge mode and a second set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to simultaneously operate in the zippering merge mode in response to identifying the second predefined condition.

Abstract: The discharge case length rate of a collector conveyor is controlled to provide a more consistent case length rate to the infeed of a downstream conveyor, such as a singulator conveyor, to control or maintain a desired case length rate at the exit of the collector conveyor without stopping the infeed conveyors. The discharge case feet rate accounts for the requirements of downstream devices, such as accounting for trailing gap requirements of a sortation conveyor disposed downstream of a singulator conveyor feed by a conveyor system constructed in accordance with this aspect of the present invention.

Abstract: Zones of an accumulation conveyor are controlled using a look ahead approach. The speed and article presence conditions of downstream and upstream zones are used to assess the condition of article flow in the neighborhood of a particular zone. The respective speeds of individual zones are then selected and implemented based on the assessment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory processor readable media of the various embodiments enable control of a conveyor having a plurality of zones each having a control module configured to control a selectable speed of the zone. The various embodiments are disclosed in connection with, but not necessarily limited to, accumulation conveyors with control systems which selectively set the speeds of zones based on conditions of upstream and downstream zones. The various embodiments are directed to improving efficiency of accumulation systems by controlling zones based upon consideration of conditions of neighboring zones. The various embodiment also enable the generation and use of translation tables correlating zones with network addresses of their respective control modules.

Abstract: Methods, devices, non-transitory storage media, and systems that utilize operations including configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a slug-building merge mode, monitoring to identify a first predefined condition, configuring each feed conveyor in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in a zippering merge mode in response to identifying the first predefined condition, monitoring to identify a second predefined condition, and configuring a first set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to operate in the slug-building merge mode and a second set of the feed conveyors in the plurality of feed conveyors to simultaneously operate in the zippering merge mode in response to identifying the second predefined condition.

Abstract: A control system for a conveyor system of the type having a first constant speed conveyor with a drop-out zone and a second variable speed downstream conveyor receiving products from the drop-out zone. The drop-out zone comprises a plurality of conveyor rollers driven by a drive mechanism operated by a constant speed prime mover assembly. An actuator engages and disengages the drive mechanism with the drop-out zone rollers. The control system has a processing circuit configured to ascertain the velocity of the downstream conveyor and configured to match the effective velocity of the first conveyor drop-out zone to that of the downstream conveyor by use of a periodic varying duty cycle signal that controls the actuator via an output device in communication with the processing circuit. The processing circuit also varies the ON-time and OFF-time of the varying duty cycle signal to automatically control energizing of the output device to accomplish the velocity match.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for providing for controlled oscillation of a tool centerpoint associated with a function element carried by manipulator simultaneously with motion of a workpiece feature relative to a predetermined location. The tool centerpoint describes a predetermined pattern relative to the workpiece feature as a result of the combined motion. Tool centerpoint oscillation occurs in an oscillation path between two extremes determined by pattern parameters defining pattern amplitude measured with respect to a pattern longitudinal axis. The direction of the oscillation path is defined by input signals representing angles measured relative to a rectangular coordinate system used for defining the predetermined location. The rate of tool centerpoint motion is defined by an input signal representing velocity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for cooperatively controlling motion between a tool centerpoint associated with a function element carried by a manipulator and rotation of a workpiece carried by a positioner. The tool centerpoint follows a linear path interpolated between programmed locations at a velocity resulting in a relative velocity between the tool centerpoint and the workpiece surface equal to a programmed velocity. Differences in radial distance of the tool centerpoint from the axis of rotation of the workpiece at successive programmed locations result in incremental velocity modifications along the path to maintain the relative velocity at the programmed value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for controlling the motion of a point associated with a function element carried by a machine. The motion describes an oscillatory pattern in a selectable plane through a path between two positions defined by input signals. The oscillatory motion pattern defines cyclic excursions about the path. Motion is effected by iteratively interpolating intermediate positions along the path, computing incremental excursion amplitudes associated with the intermediate position displacements, calculating coordinates of the intermediate position excursions and producing machine actuator control signals to move the machine members to advance the point from its position along the pattern to an intermediate position.

Abstract: A manipulator and control are provided for moving a function element carried by the manipulator in accordance with programmed input signals defining positions and path velocities therebetween of a tool centerpoint associated with the function element. The path velocity is made susceptible of variation in accordance with unprogrammed variations of a parameter manually or automatically produced. Motion of the tool centerpoint is effected by interpolation of intermediate point along a predetermined path between any two preprogrammed positions. Each intermediate point is displaced from its predecessor by an increment computed in accordance with a fixed increment interval period and an instantaneously variable increment velocity. Incremental velocity values are computed selectively in accordance with a simple function relating the variable parameter and velocity and in accordance with the preprogrammed definition of motion.

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the position of a robot arm in response to coordinate data supplied by an external user process control. During the execution of a programmed cycle of operation, a robot control causes the robot arm to move to a predetermined programmed position. In response to a programmed adjust function code, the robot control requests change-of-position information from the user process control. Depending on the actual position of the robot arm, the user process control may transmit a set of adjusted coordinate data to the robot control defining an adjusted position. The robot control moves the robot arm to the adjusted position and proceeds with the programmed cycle of operation.